1989 88 spl evinrude

DougyB

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Feb 18, 2011
Messages
165
Guys, this is a little vague but I was wondering your opinions on this model motor. The reason I ask is because I read its a commercial grade, but I'm not sure if a commercial grade is good or not for rec. use. It has good compression, and the carbs clean... but are these motors notoriously faulty? Or are they a workhorse even in their old age?
 

Big Bubba

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 11, 2007
Messages
746
Re: 1989 88 spl evinrude

DougyB,
I had a 16 foot ski boat that had this kind of motor, 88 SPL, Evinrude, and this thing would push my 16 ski boat about 50 mph. These are Great!!!!!! motors and would have still had my ski boat with this motor but the wife wanted a pontoon boat so that is why I do not have it anymore, LOL.
 

boobie

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
20,826
Re: 1989 88 spl evinrude

That mtr was in the OMC line up for many years and was a good one.
 

emdsapmgr

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 9, 2005
Messages
11,551
Re: 1989 88 spl evinrude

The 88 was a popular consumer engine, not commercial. It was made as a lower cost engine to the 90 V4 engine in the 1989 lineup and a few other years. The 88's did not have the expensive VRO fuel pump (which mixed oil and gas together automatically.) Also, some of those engines may not have had power trim standard. Commercial engines usually had lower compression powerheads and special low gear ratios in the lower units-not found in the 88 models. Their 112 model that year was a similar engine when compared to the 115.
 
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